


Silent Curse, Silent Love

by Elydy138



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Howl's Moving Castle AU, curse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-05 22:52:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15873339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elydy138/pseuds/Elydy138
Summary: Life, at that time, was simple. Learn a job, find a place to live, get married and have a family.And most of all, do not upset any witch or wizard, at any cost.And when you do upset one, brace yourself.Marinette thought her life was a little too boring, so the universe gave her a little push.isn't it a nice guy, uh ?





	Silent Curse, Silent Love

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a gift for my friend Tami !   
> Happy birthday waifu !   
> <3   
> Enjoy, I finished this one at 3am  
> and thanks again to Bella for correcting it, you're the best ;-;

It was a day like the others for sweet Marinette. Daughter of the best bakers of the country, she had all of her life lined up for her, even before she knew what to do with it. 

Life, at that time, was simple. Learn a job, find a place to live, get married and have a family. 

And most of all, do not upset any witch or wizard, at any cost. 

Marinette lived by these rules all her life. She was a waitress at her parent’s bakery-coffee shop, the “LadyBread”, and a good baker at that. She was nice, kind, and really pretty. Though she could be fierce and stubborn when she wanted to. 

But at the moment, she was working, smiling and waving at the clients. She was quite popular in town, and she had a lot of friends around. Her closest one, though, was Alya, who was a witch apprentice and left town a while ago to finish her training with a great wizard named Nino. Since then, Marinette felt a bit lonely, though Alya kept good on her promise to write her at least once a week. 

So, with Alya’s departure, days were the same, never quite distracting. 

Saying that Marinette was bored was an understatement. She wished something could come and shake her routine a bit. 

And as everyone knows, the universe never back down from a challenge. 

 

One day, while working, Marinette heard clients talking about thefts that happened in the neighbourhood, always at night. 

“I can assure you, the Bourgeois got half of their jewelry stole right under their nose!” 

“Serves them right.” 

“But I heard that the Raincomprix got robbed too, last night.” 

“Look like that thief is targeting wealthy families.”

“Well, at least this one won’t bother us!”

The group burst out into laughter, and Marinette couldn’t help but smile. She went back inside the coffee, met the gaze of her parents. As she came closer, her mother stepped out of the counter. 

“Mari, I know we talked about it but are you sure you can handle the shop on your own?”

“Mom, I’m certain, it’ll be fine.”

Sabine sighed, but nodded. 

“If it wasn’t in such short notice, we could have found someone to help you… I can’t believe your grand mother decided it was a good idea to ride a bull. Thankfully, she wasn’t badly injured...” 

“That’s granma for you.” Marinette chuckled.

“Anyway, we’ll only be gone for a few days, but if anything happens, do not hesitate to write us, alright?”

“Yes, mom, stop worrying.” 

Sabine smiled at her daughter, and their discussion was brought to an end with Tom’s arrival, his arms full of pastries. 

 

A few days later, Sabine and Tom left the bakery to Marinette. After many recommendations, the young girl was on her own. Of course, she got everything in place, and no seemed to notice that her parents were gone. She was just too good at her job. Waking up with the first ray of light, working in the bakery, and then opening the shop. It was hard, but she still liked it. She just had a few days to handle, she knew she could do it. 

Only one day, something  _ unusual _ happened. In the middle of the day, an unknown customer entered the coffee. Mari was busy taking  orders from clients, but when he stopped in front of her, she needed a second or two to remember how to breathe. His emerald eyes caught hers like hooks, and she almost gasped in surprise. He smiled at her, his blond hair shining in the midday light. 

“Hello, I heard this place is quite popular around here. Would you have a free table for me?” 

“Uh- y-yes, I do!” She blurted out, feeling the heat on her cheeks. She cleared her throat, and pointed out an empty table, in the corner of the room. “You can sit there, I’ll be here shortly.” 

“Thanks. Cannot wait now.” 

And he winked at her, before walking to his place. 

And poor Mari had to breath again, so she wouldn’t faint. 

Gathering her courage, she finished the  oreders she was taking, noting it down, and went to his table. She walked straight, though she felt herself wavering a few times. When she arrived in front of him, she was almost shaking. 

“So, what may we do for you t-today?” She said automatically, but she would have slapped herself for stuttering again. 

“Well~, I have a few ideas, but what’s on the menu today?” He replied with a grin. 

_ Oh dear gods, I’m gonna die. _

She recited the few pastries she had prepared for today’s menu, trying her best to ignore his piercing gaze. Then he chose several products, and Marinette took her leave. Once alone, behind the secure door of the kitchen, she let out the biggest and deepest sigh of her life. Never before she felt like this in front of any client, let alone  _ person _ . This boy though, she felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest and explode in fireworks. 

_ I can handle it _ . She kept repeating herself. 

Composing herself again, she took three big plates and put the last  orders on it. She left the backroom and wore a professional smile on her face. She danced between the tables, leaving the plates and drinks with graceful moves. When she arrived at  _ his _ table, she stood still, put his  order in front of him without a word. 

“This looks very nice, thank you.” He said to her, tilting his head to meet her gaze. 

But she avoided it shyly, leaving with a “please enjoy”. 

She took a few steps back, and then turned around, but she clearly heard him say :

“I sure will.” 

The rest of her shift, Marinette felt his gaze on her back. Though she tried to pay him no mind, she found it hard to do so, and actually looked at him a few times. Each time their eyes met, she felt a warm tingling in her chest, but she brushed it off, thinking she was maybe tired and the attention of this man was just striking her nerves. 

He finished quite quickly, and went to her to pay. She took his money with trembling hands, and she hoped he didn’t notice. When she dared to look at his face, he was smiling, soft and amused. 

“May I ask one last thing from you?” He demanded with a playful grin. 

“Hum, depends?” 

“I would just like your name. I am new in town, and I would appreciate a friendly face in the nameless crowd.”

Mari blinked once, twice, stunned by his boldness. But then she chuckled. 

“I’m Marinette.” She finally said. 

“Adrien.” He replied while taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. 

She blushed instantly, not expecting this. When he met her eyes again, something different shined in them. 

“Until we meet again, Marinette.” 

“Um, sure...” 

And with that, he put back his hat and left. She gazed in his direction until he disappeared, a soft smile on her lips. The rest of the day passed rather quietly after that.   
Though, once the shop closed, something crossed her mind. 

“It’s weird, I don’t remember him wearing a hat when he came in… maybe I didn’t notice it.” 

 

Days slipped away pretty nicely, and Marinette found herself rather impatient to see her parents return home. She was literally counting the days. 

“Last one...” She said, while checking the calendar.

She was suddenly tore off her thoughts by the bell ringing. 

“I’m sorry but we are… closed...” She talked while turning towards the door. 

A beautiful woman stood in the middle of the entrance. She looked around with a condescending expression that immediately riled up Marinette’s nerves. But when her icy blue eyes fell on Marinette, the girl shivered. 

“Madam, I apologize, but we are closed for today.” 

“So, this is you, the pathetic excuse of a waitress who got him so interested.” The woman said, adamant and arrogant. 

“Beg your pardon? Who are you to...”

“You  _ should _ beg for forgiveness, you miserable peasant girl.  _ He _ is  _ mine _ , and I shall let no one steal him from me!” 

“Madam, I don’t understand, I… I don’t know who you are talking about!”

“No need to feign ignorance now.” The woman mused, a devilish smile on her face. 

She took a few steps towards Marinette, but then she was suddenly in front of her, her nails grasping at the girl’s throat. 

“Never again you shall speak to anyone with that treacherous mouth of yours, and never again you will be able to dance around people that caught your eyes. You will just be the klutz you are, and they will only pity you for this.” 

When she released Marinette, the woman stepped back a little, and the girl dropped to her knees. 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I shall take my leave. I would not want my clothes reek of your smell.” She laughed while walking out, leaving Marinette trembling in the middle of the room. She held her hands to her throat, the pain lingering there. She felt the thin cuts that woman left on her skin and shivered again. 

She stood up on her feet, wavered a little, but walked just fine. She sighed. Surely, this woman was just mad about something, and took her anger out just because she wanted to blame someone. 

Surely, her words were nothing more than mad discourse and surely she would never set a foot here again. 

Marinette braced herself and went back to her apartment, right above the shop. 

She went to bed, trying to convince herself that what just happened was just a very upset woman lashing out on a random person. She closed her eyes, thinking that her parents would be back tomorrow and everything would be just fine, as it had always been. 

 

When Tom and Sabine arrived the next day, they were surprised to find the LadyBread closed. They pushed the door, only to find it locked. Puzzled, they unlocked it and entered. Again, nothing in the shop was turned on, as if no one was here. But then they saw the broken glasses and dishes all around the place, and slowly they began to panic. 

“Mari?” Sabine called. 

Tom quickly moved inside the backroom, panic rising. But their daughter wasn’t there. Sabine ran upstairs, hoping to find her in her apartment. 

And she did. Marinette was sitting in her sofa, eyes focused on her reflection in the glass table. 

“Marinette! Why didn’t you answered us? We were worried...” 

She stopped abruptly, noticing the tears flowing on Mari’s cheeks. 

“Sweetie, what happened?” Sabine whispered while kneeling in front of her. 

Without a word, Mari pushed a piece of paper towards her mother. Sabine took it, puzzled, and see it was a note. 

_ I’ve been cursed. I can’t talk anymore _ . 

Sabine gasped, holding the paper in her hand, clenching it. 

“M-Mari… how?” 

But her daughter just shook her head. Tom finally joined them, and immediately felt something was wrong. Sabine told him very briefly and he immediately rushed to his daughter’s side. He hugged her tightly, and so did Sabine. They held Mari close to them, whispering loving words to her. 

“Whatever happened to you, we’ll be here.” 

Through the constant buzzing she felt since she woke up this morning, the confusion of losing her voice, and all the broken plates and glasses, her parents’ words were a small shelter she welcomed gladly. 

_ I’m not alone.  _

They stayed with her the rest of the day, and she explained to them what happened, through more notes. Though they didn’t know that witch, surely someone could do something. 

When they send Marinette to bed, Tom and Sabine looked at each other, sad and brokenhearted. 

“We have to do something, Tom. We can’t let our daughter down.”

“I know, Sabine. But you already know that witches who can withdraw a curse are very rare, if not gone from the magic plane.”

“We’ll still look for one. We will  find someone to help Mari, right?”

“Yes, Sabine, we will.”

Tom hugged Sabine close. They knew they had to do something but for the first time in a long time, they didn’t have a clue about where to begin.

 

It took a few days for everyone to adapt. Mari couldn’t talk, but she could still bring the plates just fine. She still her own heart, to be sure no one would ever make her falter. Her parents needed her, and it wasn’t a curse that was going to stop her. 

Of course, the regulars at the shop were a little surprised but they didn’t pry too much, and everything went back to -almost- normal. 

Mari wrote to Alya to see if her friend could do something to help her. But despite Alya’s best efforts, she couldn’t find any wizard able to cancel the curse, only being able to weakening it to a certain point. But Marinette said it was fine. She would rather suffer it entirely instead of trying to meddle with it and actually getting worse. 

 

So Marinette swallowed it, and decided to live her life with this curse. Not even a petty bitchy witch would stop her. 

And so life went on, the family sticking together even more than before. 

 

One day, after a very difficult and tiring workday, Marinette felt her nerves crumbling. She had to leave the shop, because this client put her on the edge, and she would have snapped at them, but she couldn’t and she suddenly panicked. Her mother rushed to her rescue but the tears were already rolling down her cheeks. So she ran to her balcony, and stayed there for the rest of the evening. She cried to her heart’s content, and somehow this was relieving. 

But suddenly, she felt a shock against the ground of the balcony that startled her. Lifting her head, she saw someone hiding in the corner, in the shadows. Marinette gasped  and  stumbled as she tried to back out. They heard it, and turned to her in a jump. She froze, not sure how to react. 

Run? Call for help? Break something?

But then, the dark silhouette slowly crawled towards her, their movements soft and reassuring. 

“Listen, I won’t hurt you.” They -he- whispered. “But I need you to stay silent, okay?”

She snorted, not really amused. Then he stepped a little bit closer, and she finally saw his face. 

Hidden behind a black mask, the man was nonetheless handsome. His green eyes were sparkling like cat’s eyes, and she wondered if a spell was put on the mask to make them look like that. His golden hair were covered by a black hood with cat ears on it. Then she eyed the rest of him and realised that his entire costume was made to look like a feline. 

He noticed her staring, and was about to say something, when a loud siren resonated in the street. 

“The thief has stricken again! He stole a precious jewel in the Kubdel’s manor!”

The guy chuckled, and Marinette tilted her head. He saw her moving, made a sign to stay silent. They waited until the patrol disappeared in the next street, and the guy sighed, relieved. 

“Phew, that was close.” He said with a grin. 

Then it hit her.  _He_ had to be the thief! For what other reason would he need to hide from the soldiers?

Her eyes wide opened, she stared at him so hard she could have burn ed a hole in his head. Noticing it, his grin just widened. 

“What? It’s not like they need it, anyway.” 

_Stealing is still bad._

He almost jumped in surprise, hearing the voice in his  _mind_ rather than with his  _ears_ . He looked at Marinette with a genuine curiosity, and she shrieked. 

“Did you just...” 

She blinked at him, not sure what he meant. He glared at her, puzzled and surprised. 

“How did you do that?” 

She tilted her head, confused. He sighed. 

“Are you a telepath? I could hear you in my head just now.” 

_Saaaaaaay what now?!_ She screamed and he winced.   
“Hey, not so loud!” He hissed, scratching his ears. 

_But… I… You…_ _**How** _ _?! _

“Hell if I know. Is that the first time it happened to you?”

She nodded, still stunned. 

_ Since that witch appeared, everything went weird anyway… I’m not even surprised. _

“A witch?”

Another nod. No explanation though. 

“What happened?”

_ She cursed me. _

“Uh? Why?”

A shrug. 

_Why would you care anyway?_ She said to him, her eyes piercing his. 

He froze for a second, stepped back slightly, but sighed.  
“I just can’t let someone who cried their heart out alone, and not even try to help them. Especially when they are as beautiful as you.” He winked at her and she rolled her eyes. But she heard the fondness and real care in his voice, so she didn’t feel like pushing him  away . 

_Nice talk, for a thief. Are you stealing for the same reason?_

He snorted, not even upset by her bossy tone.

“The people I rob won’t miss any of the stuff I took. It’s just their pride that is hurt.” 

She hummed, silent agreement. Though she was smiling softly.  
_What are you doing with it?_

“Curious, aren’t you?” He grinned. 

She shrugged, trying to look indifferent. But he noticed the spark in her eyes, genuine curiosity. 

“You’ll have to excuse me, princess, but a cat must keep its secret.” 

She chuckled to that.

_Sure, not like you were going to tell anything anyway._

He laughed at that. 

_And did you called me “princess”? Really now?_

“Why? I think it suits you.”

He didn’t miss the light blush on her cheeks as she tired to hide her face behind her bangs. 

They were sitting on the ground of the balcony, hidden under the cover of the night, and Marinette realised she wasn’t scared. She was in an enclosed space with the infamous thief everyone talked about, and she wasn’t even nervous. Maybe because he was kind. Or maybe because she couldn’t take seriously a criminal who dressed up to look like a cat. He looked down, to the street, where people went back to their business as if not a moment ago, a patrol passed by, sounding the alarm. Something in his gaze was soft, and Marinette found herself staring at him longer than she would’ve admitted. 

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. He felt her moving, and he turned back his attention to her.

_Weren’t you running away?_ She asked. 

He winced, took by surprise. 

“I guess… I was...” He said, seeming unsure. 

_You were?_

“I kinda stumbled and fell here, to be honest. I didn’t expect anyone to be out at this hour, so I just… crashed here?”

Now he looked embarrassed, and Marinette thought it was the cutest thing she ever saw. 

“Anyway, you’re right. I should go.” 

He jumped onto the barrier, hands and feet on it, as if he was a cat. The light from the street brushed his traits, and she got to see him even more distinctly than before. When he looked back at her, he was smiling. 

“See you next time, princess!” 

_Don’t call me princess!_

That made him laugh, and he jumped without any warning. Marinette instantly jumped on her feet and reached the barrier, looked down. 

But he was nowhere to be seen. He just… vanished in the air. 

She burst into a laughter, absolutely not expecting that. 

_Sly cat, uh?_

This night, Marinette felt somehow at ease. She had a smile on her lips that didn’t fade, even in her sleep. 

 

The next day, her parents were happy to see her smiling again, though they seemed a bit curious. And for the first time since that cursed appeared, Marinette was relieved she couldn’t talk. Though because of it, she had to be careful not to trip on anything, and avoid any eyes contact with anyone, just in case. But today, she didn’t mind. Today, she felt light and her steps were graceful. 

For the first time since she had been cursed, she met someone who didn’t look at her with pity. 

And somehow, it made her feel happy. 

 

After work, she decided to settle down in her balcony. Tea and books, a warm blanket, and she was reading under the moonlight. She used to do that a lot when she was younger but kinda lost the habit because of her work. But from time to time, she felt like doing it. 

The book she was into right now was one  of Alya’s favorite s . Marinette already read half of it. She was so caught up in the story she didn’t notice the shadow at the other end of the balcony. Only when a “ H ey princess” echoed in the closed space she raised her eyes from the book. 

And jumped in surprise. 

_He_ was here again, standing on the barrier, a smirk on his face. 

“I was passing by the neighbourhood and I thought I would drop by to say hello.” 

She blinked. Once. Twice. And then laughed. 

_What were you thinking? What if someone sees you?_ She snapped at him.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, princess! I am a professional, thanks you very much!” He replied with a pout. 

And that made her chuckle, because she couldn’t really mad at him. 

“What are you reading?” He asked, curious. 

She handed the book to him, and he took it cautiously. 

“You’re not afraid that I’ll steal it?” He teased her.

Marinette just rolled her eyes. 

_And then you’ll have to deal with my best friend, who is a witch, might I add. I don’t think you want a magic huntress on your trail, mister thief._

“For a one, no, I’ll rather not. And it’s _Chat Noir_.”

Turning her head to look at him, she smiled. She held her hand high, silently asking for her book. He put it back in her hand, carefully. 

“It looks… interesting, I guess.” 

She giggled. Something about him reading seemed surreal. 

_Maybe I’ll lend it to you once I finished it._

“Really?!” He jumped right next to her. The sudden movement startled her, and she let out a faint squeak. He blinked, not expecting that. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

_It’s just… I wasn’t… it’s nothing._

“Hey, are you alright? Someone made you cry again?”

_Uh, no, I’m fine. I just wanted to enjoy the evening._

“Wanted to?” 

_You crashing here was kinda unexpected?_

“Does it bother you?”

Did that bothered her? Marinette didn’t even know that. She couldn’t bring herself to  kick  him o ut of her balcony. He was a thief, for goodness’s sake!

She shrugged. 

_Not really? Just don’t steal anything in there._

“I wouldn’t do that! You guys are nice and it wouldn’t be fair on you...”

She hummed, looking a bit doubtful. 

“You hurt me, princess. I _am_ a knight, I don’t rob from the poor. Only the wealthy and the corrupted deserve what they get.”

_If you say so._

Though she was smiling, looking him in the eyes with a fondness he didn’t quite understand. 

They stayed silent after this, her going back to her reading, while he roamed through the stuff she brought here. She peered at him from time to time, hidden behind her book. He seemed awfully relaxed for someone chased out by the army. He found a book that caught his attention, and he lied down on his back to read it. Though she could feel his gaze fall upon her sometimes, but as soon as she would lift her head, he would turn his attention back to the book. She was a bit puzzled, but she wasn’t going to push him. So she waited. 

After a moment though, he spoke. 

“You’re not even wary of me.” He said, stating a fact rather than questioning. 

_You said you wouldn’t hurt me._

“That was yesterday.”

_How about now?_

She stared at him right in the eyes, piercing him with her blue gaze. He chuckled. 

“Alright, you got me. But are you always like that around people?”

_What do you mean?_

“Hmmmm… You are… too friendly? Too nice?”

She hummed as an understanding, and she thought for a minute.

_I want to believe there is good in everyone. That no one is just bad to be bad, that they have a reason to do… whatever they are doing wrong._

“What about me then?”

_You seemed to only rob rich people. What you are doing with it is your business, but I can’t deny the fact that no one in town have been robbed. So either you’re doing this to taunt them, which is funny for everyone around here, or you’re doing this because you have an idea in mind._

He stared at her. She stared at him. 

For a moment, none moved. 

For a moment, his eyes shined. 

For a moment, her eyes smiled. 

“Mari! Come back inside, it’s getting cold!” 

Sabine’s voice broke through the stairs, broke the contact between them. They found themselves breathless, speechless, but they couldn’t look away. 

_I should… go…_

“Yeah. I wouldn’t want you to freeze just to keep me company now, would I?”

He held out his hand, silent invitation to help. And Marinette took it. He helped her getting on her feet, and collecting back her stuff before she went back inside. 

But just before she disappeared, she turned to him, with the most shining and beautiful smile he ever saw. 

_Thank you. Please come back home safely._

And with that, she closed the door behind her. 

It took him a moment to process it, it took him another moment to calm his heart down. When he left the balcony, the cold wind hit him harder than he thought, and that was when he realised he was blushing. 

He remembered Marinette. The nice and pretty waitress. She struck him to be a caring person, genuine in her whole character. He felt like teasing her back then, and wasn’t disappointed the slightest by her reactions. She was…intriguing. She was endearing. 

When he fled for his last robbery, two days ago, and he saw her crying, he felt the urge to go to her. He didn’t understand why, but he, somehow, wanted to comfort her. Couldn’t bear to see her tears. 

And he came back the day after to check on her. That was what he had thought. What he had said to himself when he landed on her balcony this evening. 

And now, that she wasn’t here anymore, he could only feel the void she left behind. 

 

During weeks, Chat Noir visited Marinette after the night had come, every day. They would talk sometimes  for hours, sometimes barely minutes. But somehow, he grew addicted to it. He  _wanted_ to see her. Talking to her was somehow relieving, and he dived in that peaceful feeling each time he got to see her. 

Marinette, on the other hand, felt more and more conscious of his presence. Sometimes he would just talked to her from his spot on the balcony, but sometimes he would come down and sit down right next to her, his proximity suddenly burning her. She grew anxious every time she watched him left, only to be overwhelmed by relief when he came back the day after. She was scared of the feeling she felt rising in her mind, tried her best to ignore them. 

Today was a good day. Marinette had managed to save a box of pastries, and took it with her when she went to her balcony. She imagined Chat stealing them playfully, just because she knew he wouldn’t accept them otherwise. When she put the box on the little table, she heard a light  _bump_ above her. She instantly smiled, and took a few steps back. 

And then, she tripped. On her own feet. She almost fell, only saved by her quick reflexes. When he finally jumped in, she was catching her breath. 

“Everything good, princess?”

_Yeah, I just…_

She sighed, stood up to face him. She pointed the box to him, with a shy smile that didn’t escaped his attention. 

_I couldn’t take more, or else my parents would get suspicious._

“Do not worry, princess, it’s perfect. I’ll steal it later.” He grinned, winking at her. 

She chuckled. He opened the box, looking at the pastries as if they were treasure s . He even whistled, amazed. 

“I don’t even recognize them all! Is this really only a _few_ of what your parents are baking?”

_Yeah, they reduced the list, or else it would be too long. But they tried to add some more today and only this is left of it._

“Wow! Tell me what they’re called? Please?”

_Sure._

She walked to him, smiling. And tripped again. This time, he caught her, and she grasped him for dear life. 

“Are you alright?!”

_Yeah! Yeah, I don’t know what’s happening to me…_

“Maybe you’re just tired, you should get some rest.” 

His hands on her arms felt like they were burning her, even though the fabrics. She felt his eyes on her with far too much weight than usual. 

When she tried to step back, she stumbled again, only this time, she dragged him off with her. 

He somehow managed to slow down their fall, and she didn’t hit the ground as hard as she would have. 

“You definitely are getting rest. Looks like tiredness is turning you into a klutz.” He chuckled, trying to sound cool, though his eyes were looking at her with worry.

And then, it hit her.

“ _Never again you shall speak to anyone with that treacherous mouth of yours, and never again you will be able to dance around people that caught your eyes. You will just be the klutz you are, and they will only pity you for this.”_

She froze, the voice of the curse filling her mind like a dark reminder. Chat felt the sudden change in her, and he frowned. 

“Are you hurt?”

_ No, no, I’m fine, don’t worry.  _

“Princess, you’re not good at lying, you know that, right?”

She looked away, tried to push him off. But his grip just got stronger, though he didn’t hurt her. 

“Can’t you talk to me? Mari?”

She shivered, not used to that nickname. Not with his voice. Not with that tone. 

Too soft, too nice. Demanding, pleading. 

She took a deep breath, stilling herself. She didn’t look up, not able to handle his gaze. 

_ The curse. The witch said that I… that… I… will be a klutz… around the person… I… like? _

Then it was his turn to freeze. His mouth was opened in an awe he couldn’t voice, his eyes sparkling with joy. 

“So… does that mean that you… like me?” He whispered, his fingers digging a bit in her flesh. He knew he could hurt her like this, but he couldn’t help it. 

She nodded, hesitant, scared, doubtful. He felt the weight of it in her mind, as if admitting it cost her a lot more than she thought. 

He leaned a bit toward her, lowering enough so their eyes could be at the same level. 

“Say it, princess. Please, I want to hear you say it.” He said, softly, tender. 

She gasped, raising her head without realising it, and got caught up in his eyes. She felt like she was snatched away, as if she was melting and freezing at the same time. She opened her mouth, only to close it right away. She couldn’t talk. She couldn’t say anything. 

Chat saw  how troubled she felt , her eyes flickering, trying to not look at him but being pulled to do so. He slid his arms around her waist, pulling her close. 

“I know you can’t  _ talk _ , princess. Just  _ say _ it.” 

Her poor heart skipped a beat, and she felt her throat tighten. She put her hands on his shoulders, trying again to push him away. He just took her right hand in his, kissed it softly. 

She shut her eyes, and took a deep breath, even though she wasn’t going to use her voice. 

_ I  _ _ **do** _ _ like you! But it’s...It just happened and I couldn’t stop it and… _

And suddenly, her train of thought was stopped by his lips crashing onto her. It was soft, eager, tender, passionate. Her mind went blank for a second, her whole body froze, but the second after, she was melting against him. He felt the moment she let go. He held her closer, leaning on her to deepen their kiss, stealing their breath away. 

When they separated, they looked at each other, eyes shining, dazed. 

“I happened to like you too, princess. Just so you know.” He grinned, and she rolled her eyes. 

This time, she grabbed him and kissed him, and he gladly let her take the lead. She was afraid, didn’t dared too much, but it was fine. He didn’t mind. 

She broke the kiss, breathless. 

He hugged her, her head against his shoulder. Letting her settle down, he thought for a moment about what to do now. He knew her, yet she didn’t know  _ him _ . And somehow, he wanted that. He wanted to walk with her during the day, walk into the open, live in the world he hated the most. But with  _ her _ , he would gladly step in this world. 

His decision was made then. 

He looked down, to her, cheeks flushed, eyes blurred and lips reddened. 

Hugging her, he whispered next to her ear. 

“I’ll come back tomorrow. It’ll be a surprise. Just wait for me, okay?”

He felt her nod softly against his shoulder, and his heart bumped hard into his chest. 

After leaving a last kiss on her temple, he quickly jumped out the balcony. He ran, faster than he ever did. Tomorrow, he’ll be free. Tomorrow, he’ll meet her again. 

Marinette watched him as he disappeared in the distance, and suddenly, she realised it was damn cold outside. She didn’t really wondered why she couldn’t feel it before though. 

 

Marinette couldn’t calm down, and much to her parent’s dismay, she wouldn’t stop working. Not even once  would she take a break. She was feeling restless, and she couldn’t stop herself from moving. She waited for the night to come, to see him again. She wanted the day to pass by faster. 

So she tried her best to work, dancing as usual between the table. She wasn’t avoiding anyone, she was actually looking at them. She wasn’t scared anymore. She knew she wouldn’t trip. The only one with this power wouldn’t bother her here, after all. 

The bell on the door rang, and she turned around to welcome the newcomer. 

She recognised Adrien, despite the fact she didn’t see him in the last week. 

His hair was messy, and he wore a black suit that made his green eyes shine mysteriously. He looked around, a faint smile on his mouth.

He instantly met her gaze, and she shivered. It was… oddly familiar?

She walked to him, but she didn’t reach him. She stumbled against a chair, and almost fell down. But he was quick to catch her. 

Then, with a soft voice, he told her : 

“Finally falling for me,  _ princess _ ?” 

Her eyes lightened up, her smiled spread so wild it hurt, and tears threatened to spill out. 

But she just chuckled, sweet sound of happiness. 

“Wouldn’t you dream of it,  _ Chaton? _ ” 

 


End file.
